Power-over-internet adapter

ABSTRACT

A cartridge for an aerosol provision device comprises a chamber for containing a liquid from which a flow of aerosol for inhalation by a user is generated. The cartridge comprises a first connector arrangement for releasably connecting the cartridge to a body portion of the device, and a second connector arrangement for releasably connecting to a container for a material. In use, aerosol flows through the material in the container before being inhaled by the user. The first connector arrangement is configurable in a locked configuration and in an un-locked configuration, and the first connector arrangement must be configured in the un-locked configuration for the cartridge to be removeable from the body portion. The first connector arrangement is configurable from the locked configuration to the un-locked configuration while the cartridge remains stationary with respect to the body portion.

The invention concerns an adapter to which a cable is connected on the input side and to which at least one further cable is connected on the output side, according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

It is common knowledge to network devices among one another and to use cables to interchange data between the devices and to supply power via the cable.

Two different transmission standards are known for this.

On the one hand, it is known to use a hybrid cable (hybrid line) to transmit data, in particular according to an Ethernet standard, and at the same time to supply the devices with power among one another, the power supply being adapted to the energy requirements of the devices. For example, a standard is known in this regard for hybrid cables where a voltage of 24 V and a maximum current of 6 A ave used as the power supply.

On the other hand, it is common knowledge to use an Ethernet cable to also supply the devices with power and interchange data between the devices (so-called Power-over-Ethernet PoE).

Currently existing Ethernet devices (such as IP cameras) can sometimes be powered via Power-over-Ethernet (PoE). This simplifies the installation and operation of such devices, as no separate cable is required for the supplying power.

However, the higher amperage of the devices poses new challenges for data cabling. With increased current flow, more heat is generated due to the resistance. Warmer cables attenuate data transmission more. This results in insufficient signal strength reaching the connected device and makes data transmission impossible. This effect must therefore be taken into account when planning new PoE-compatible LAN cabling. The maximum transmission length must therefore be adapted to the temperature conditions and shortened in a disadvantageous way.

It is also possible to supply devices (such as input/output modules for automation) with data and power via hybrid cables in combination with a corresponding plug connection (for example M12-Y coded). These methods usually provide higher power than is the case with PoE.

The object of the invention is to make the power provided by the hybrid line available to standard PoE systems.

This object is attained by the features of patent claim 1.

In accordance with the invention, the input-side cable is a hybrid cable and the at least one output-side cable is an Ethernet cable, and the adapter has means for converting the transmission standard of the hybrid cable to the transmission standard of the at least one Ethernet cable.

According to the invention, an interposed adapter makes it possible not only to continue to be able to interchange data by using those devices that interchange data with each other and are also supplied with power according to a given transmission standard, but also to use a larger number of devices that could not be used in this number according to the further transmission standard (such as Power-over-Ethernet), as the energy requirement could not be covered according to this further transmission standard.

The adapter (also known as a converter) can be arranged in a linear topology typical for automation and thus supports the operation of a larger number of PoE terminal devices from one power supply than would be possible with a pure use of PoE.

The adapter makes it possible to transmit (loop through) the data during the interchange between two devices in the same transmission standard or to enable a change from a first to another transmission standard. For this purpose, the adapter according to the invention has appropriate means suitable and intended to make the input-side data received by the adapter available to the connected device on the output side without modification. Alternatively or in addition to this, these means are suitable and intended to convert the input-side data of a given transmission standard to a further given transmission standard and to provide them on the output side so that the connected device, which operates according to this further given transmission standard, receives these data and can process them further.

In one development of the invention, the hybrid cable is connected to the adapter on the input side via a plug connection. For this purpose, the hybrid cable has a plug connector at the end that can be plugged into a corresponding mating connector of the adapter. This allows for quick and easy connection of the adapter to the hybrid cable.

In addition, defective hybrid cables or a defective adapter can be easily replaced in the event of a fault.

In one development of the invention, the Internet cable is connected to the adapter on the output side via a plug connection. This has the same benefits as described above.

In one development of the invention, a further hybrid cable is connected to the adapter on the output side. This output-side hybrid cable can also be connected to the adapter via a plug connection.

An adapter according to the invention is shown in two different variants in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 shows, as far as is shown in detail, in a manner known per se, a hybrid cable 1 that has electrical conductors that are used to transmit power for a power supply and also data according to a first transmission standard. There is also an Ethernet cable 2 that is also used for power supply and data transmission according to a second transmission standard. The first transmission standard is completely or partially different from the second transmission standard. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a power supply with dual 24 V and 6 A feeds is formed by the hybrid cable 1 as the first transmission standard. The data transmission is based on an Ethernet standard. The Ethernet cable 2 transmits data and power according to the IEEE standard 802.3af-2003, for example. In this case, the maximum supply voltage is 48 V, the maximum current consumption of the terminal devices being able to be 350 mA (400 mA are permitted for a short time when switching on). The 802.3af standard divides the devices involved into power sourcing equipment (PSE) and powered devices (PD). The maximum power output is 15.4 watts. The standard assumes that only 12.95 watts of usable power may be consumed after line losses in order not to exceed the maximum power output.

In order to be able to operate multiple devices according to the IEEE standard 802.3af-2003, for example, the invention provides for an adapter 3 to which the necessary amount of power is supplied via the hybrid cable 1 for this purpose, this power then being fed to the devices connected to the adapter 3 via the Internet cable. For this purpose, the adapter 3 has appropriate internal means for converting at least the power supply from the supplied first transmission standard to a further transmission standard that corresponds to the transmission standard used by the devices connected to the adapter 3 via the Ethernet cable 2. The first transmission standard for the data supplied to the adapter 3 via the hybrid cable 1 can be the same as that also made available to the connected devices via the Internet cable 2. In this case, it is sufficient for the data lines of the hybrid cable 1 to be looped through to the Ethernet cable 2 in the adapter 3 without conversion. As an alternative, it is possible for means for converting the data transmission standard at the input of adapter 3 to a data transmission standard at the output of adapter 3 to be provided in the adapter 3.

The adapter 3 can retain the benefit of PoE technology of eliminating the need for a power supply cable, allowing Ethernet-connected devices to be installed even in hard-to-reach locations or in areas where many cables would be a nuisance. There is no need to supply power to the device separately using a power cord and a power supply unit or to achieve this with a battery. Instead, the device draws its energy from the data network. For this purpose, power additionally needs to be fed into the data line at a central point in the network distributor besides the data signals.

While on the one hand it is conceivable that the two cables 1, 2 are permanently connected to the adapter 3 (i.e. that they are routed into and out of the adapter and are thus nondetachably connected to the adapter 3), the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has provision for a plug connection 5 at the input of the adapter 3 to connect the hybrid cable 1 and for a plug connection 6 at the output of the adapter 3 to connect the Internet cable 2.

The adapter 3 (converter) thus forms the end point of hybrid cabling. From the supply of power and data (especially Ethernet) provided by the hybrid cable 1, the adapter 3 produces a valid PoE that can be processed further by the connected end devices. The benefits here are the introduction of high power with few losses close to the connected PoE load and the use of a hybrid infrastructure. It is important that the adapter 3 have a power supply, especially a 24V-compatible PoE injector.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is based on the same principle as shown in FIG. 1. However, this adapter 3 additionally has a further output to which another hybrid cable 4 can be connected. In this case too, the additional hybrid cable 4 can be permanently connected to the adapter 3 or detachably connected to the adapter 3 via a plug connection 7.

The adapter 3 designed as a T-adapter can thus be integrated into a hybrid line structure in this configuration. For this purpose, it has a hybrid plug connection 5 (especially a plug) as input and a hybrid plug connection 7 (especially a socket) as output or routing.

The benefits here, in addition to those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, are integration into an existing hybrid line structure, also in conjunction with I/O field devices, and the connection of multiple PoE devices in series. In this case, the adapter 3 must additionally have a 3-port (MAC) switch. In order to ensure trouble-free integration into the field level, this switch should have IRT capability.

Not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but present when the whole system is fully functional, are devices connected to the ends of the cables 1, 2 (and possibly 4) at opposite ends from the plug connections 5, 6 (and possibly 7).

The power for the devices needing to be powered (PD) can be supplied by so-called endspan devices (for example switches) or midspan devices (units between switch and terminal device).

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Hybrid cable 2 Ethernet cable 3 Adapter 4 Hybrid cable 5 Plug connection 6 Plug connection 7 Plug connection 

1. A cartridge for an aerosol provision device for generating a flow of aerosol for inhalation by a user, the cartridge comprising: a chamber for containing a liquid from which, in use, the aerosol provision device generates the flow of aerosol; a first connector arrangement for releasably connecting the cartridge to a body portion of the aerosol provision device; a second connector arrangement for releasably connecting the cartridge to a container for a material so that, in use, the flow of aerosol generated by the aerosol provision device flows through the material in the container before being inhaled by the user; wherein the first connector arrangement is configurable in a locked configuration and in an un-locked configuration and wherein the first connector arrangement must be configured in the un-locked configuration in order for the cartridge to be removeable from the body portion of the aerosol provision device, and wherein the first connector arrangement is configured such that the first connector arrangement can be configured from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration while the cartridge remains stationary with respect to the body portion.
 2. A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein when the cartridge is connected to the body portion, configuring the first connector arrangement in the unlocked configuration enables the cartridge to be pulled free of the body portion.
 3. A cartridge according to claim 2 wherein the first connector arrangement comprises a first element for interacting with a complementary second element on the body portion when the first connector arrangement is in the locked configuration.
 4. A cartridge according to claim 3 wherein the first connector arrangement may be configured in the unlocked configuration by moving the first element with respect to the second element.
 5. A cartridge according to claim 3 wherein the first connector arrangement further comprises a third element for interacting with a complementary fourth element on the body portion when the first connector arrangement is in the locked configuration.
 6. A cartridge according to claim 5 wherein the first connector arrangement may be configured in the unlocked configuration by: moving the first element with respect to the second element; and moving the third element with respect to the fourth element.
 7. A cartridge according to claim 5 wherein the first element and the third element are situated on opposite sides of a circumference of a distal end of the cartridge.
 8. A cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the first connector arrangement is located at a distal end of the cartridge and the second connector arrangement is located at a proximal end of the cartridge and the cartridge is tapered from the distal end to the proximal end such that the cross-sectional area of the proximal end is less than the cross-sectional area of the distal end.
 9. A cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the second connector arrangement allows the container to be attached to/detached from the cartridge by pushing/pulling the container and the cartridge together/apart.
 10. A cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the second connector arrangement comprises a recess in the cartridge into which the container for a material is inserted.
 11. A cartridge according to claim 10 wherein the container comprises at least one first surface formation which interfaces with an interior surface of the recess of the cartridge.
 12. A cartridge according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the recess comprises an interior surface comprising at least one second surface formation which interfaces with the container.
 13. A cartridge according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the container comprises at least two first surface formations which interact with an interior surface of the recess of the cartridge.
 14. A cartridge according to claim 13 wherein the container comprises at least three first surface formations which interact with an interior surface of the recess of the cartridge.
 15. A cartridge according to any of claims 11 to 14 wherein at least one of the at least one first surface formations is a first ridge and at least one of the at least one second surface formations is a corresponding first groove and the first ridge interacts with the corresponding first groove to hold the container in the recess and provide a substantially airtight seal.
 16. A cartridge according to any of claims 11 to 15 wherein at least one of the at least one second surface formations is a second ridge and at least one of the at least one first surface formations is a corresponding second groove and the second ridge interacts with the corresponding second groove to hold the container in the recess and provide a substantially airtight seal.
 17. A cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 16 wherein the container is part of a mouthpiece assembly, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a first housing for being received, in use, in a mouth of a user; a second housing for containing a material through which, in use, an aerosol generated by the aerosol provision device flows before passing out of the mouthpiece assembly for inhalation by the user; and wherein the first housing and the second housing are connected together to form the mouthpiece assembly.
 18. An aerosol provision device comprising a cartridge according to any of claims 1 to 17, a device body, and a container for a material.
 19. An aerosol provision device according to claim 18 wherein the container for a material is part of a mouthpiece assembly, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a first housing for being received, in use, in a mouth of a user; a second housing for containing a material through which, in use, an aerosol generated by the aerosol provision device flows before passing out of the mouthpiece assembly for inhalation by the user; and wherein the first housing and the second housing are connected together to form the mouthpiece assembly and the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be releasably connectable to the cartridge via the second connector arrangement.
 20. A method of using an aerosol provision device according to claim 18 or claim 19 comprising the steps of: attaching the cartridge to the device body via the first connector arrangement; configuring the first connector arrangement in a locked configuration; and attaching the container for a material to the cartridge via the second connector arrangement.
 21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the step of attaching the cartridge to the device body comprises pushing the cartridge and the device body together until the first connector arrangement enters the locked configuration.
 22. A method according to claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the step of attaching the container to the cartridge comprises push-fitting the container to the cartridge.
 23. A method according to any of claims 20 to 22 further comprising the step of detaching the container from the cartridge while the cartridge remains attached to the device body in the locked configuration.
 24. A method according to any of claims 20 to 23 further comprising the steps of: configuring the first connector arrangement in the unlocked configuration; and detaching the cartridge from the device body. 